Matchplate support assembly



968 A. MASI 3,417,811

MATCHPLATE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

ANTHONY MASI BY A T TORNEYS Dec. 24, 1968 A. MAS] HATCHPLATE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MF, wlmlwgmbguu 3 0? 9&0 o 0 0-- mulaglmwrlllmll ANTHONY MASI ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olfice 3,417,811 Patented Dec. 24, 1968 3,417,811 MATCHPLATE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Anthony Masi, 1437 W. 36th St, Erie, Pa. 16508 Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,278 4 Claims. (Cl. 164-240) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The upstanding side walls of a pattern well form an indexing surface for a matchplate which supports a mold box. Additional support members for the matchplate Within the area bounded by said side walls and engaging the bottom of the pattern well accommodate for surface irregularities in the matchplate and rigidify the matchplate against deflection when the mold sand is rammed in the mold box.

This invention relates generally to foundry machines and is particularly concerned with certain improvements in foundry machines of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,178,781, issued Apr. 20, 1965.

In my above prior patent there is disclosed in a machine adapted to cooperate with the cope or drag, that is a molding flask member, enabling the same to receive a quantity of molding material such as molding sand and to thereafter effect a proper and eflicient compaction of the molding material within the confines of the flask member while simultaneously providing the molding cavity therewithin. Within this environment is used a matchplate which forms a closure or bottom for the flask member and which has pattern elements thereon to provide the molding cavity or cavities in the mold. The patent also discloses means for turning the matchplate assembly over so that pattern elements of different forms on opposite sides of the matchplate may be utilized with the cope and drag respectively so that the proper and requisite molding cavity is provided when the scope and drag are assembled in the well known and conventional fashion. The patent structure also involves means for metering a predetermined quantity of molding sand into the flask member within the machine and mechanism for compacting such molding sand within the flask member, it being an important consideration that the compacting process be carried out to such degree that the molding sand is tightly enough compacted to prevent sagging, breakage and the like of the mold within the confines of the mold cavity while, at the same time, the compaction is not so great as to preclude the escape of gases from seeping through the mold body while the molten metal within the mold is cooling and solidifying.

The matchplate assembly is supported on the upper indexing surface of a pattern well member and, ideally, no deflection, sagging or the like of the matchplate will occur incidental to the compaction process pointed out above. However, in view of the fact that the pattern well of necessity, to accommodate for patterns on both sides of the matchplate, effects only a peripheral support for the matchplate, the compaction process is likely to cause deflection of the matchplate so that the patterns particularly at the center of the matchplate may be shifed downwardly so that the molding cavity provided thereby in the flask member is not indexed properly. It is therefore, of primary concern in connection with this invention to pro vide an improved matchplate and pattern well combination including means for supporting the matchplate throughout suflicient areas thereof as to substantially eliminate unwanted deflections, sagging and the like of the matchplate during the compaction process. In this fashion, the matchplate assembly may be made sufficiently light in weight as to enable proper operation of the entire machine without suffering the disadvantageous sagging as aforesaid.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved mechanism as aforesaid wherein support means carried either by the pattern well or by the matchplate are provided to support the matchplate in any critical areas thereof which may be required to resist and avoid sagging and deflection of the matchplate during the compaction process.

In one aspect, the present invention relates to an improved form of pattern well structure having guide and support means for removably accepting vertical rods or pins in upstanding relation within the pattern well for disposition at selected places therewithin to engage and support a matchplate resting upon the indexing surface of the pattern well with the pins serving to maintain the integrity of the indexing surface throughout critical regions of the matchplate assembly.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to an improved form of matchplate having support pins fixed thereto and extending from opposite sides thereof so that their free ends may engage the bottom of the pattern well in either position of the matchplate to prevent sagging and deflection of the matchplate during the compaction process.

In another aspect, the present invention concerns the provision of a matchplate support mechanism which is capable of accommodating unevenness or distortions of the matchplate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through one form of the improved matchplate and pattern well assembly and showing the associated foundry machine in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through a modified form of the assembly;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the matchplate in an inverted position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a still further modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken through the modified form of the invention shown in FIGURE 4 and illustrating a matchplate associated therewith;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a further modification of the matchplate support assembly;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken through the pattern well and showing the modified support illustrated in FIG- URE 6; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing diagrammatically versatility of use of the modification shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

With reference now more particularly to FIGURE 1, the environment of the present invention is illustrated therein. As shown, the combination of the present invention involves a matchplate indicated generally by the reference character 10 in association with a pattern well assembly indicated generally by the reference character 12. The pattern Well is fixed to a frame portion 14 of the associated foundry machine which is preferably constructed in accord with the disclosure of my prior Patent No. 3,178,781, issued Apr. 20, 1965. The matchplate is supported by chuck or jaw means indicated generally by the reference characters 16 and 18 which are in turn supported by vertical posts or supports 20 by means of which the chucks may be raised so as to allow the matchplate to vertically clear the pattern well 12 and allow the chuck means 16 to rotate the matchplate for subsequent lowering in inverted position back onto the pattern well 12, all as disclosed in my prior patent. A mold flask member indicated generally by the reference character 22 is ultimately lowered onto the matchplate to rest upon the upper indexing support surface thereof indicated more clearly in FIGURE 2 and the upset assembly indicated generally by the reference character 24, also shown in FIGURE 2, rests upon and registers with the flask member 22. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the matchplate will frequently be required to be inverted for establishing the proper pattern in the cope or drag of the flask and it is for this reason that provision is made for inverting the matchplate. This is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein it will be seen that the pattern portion 26 is shaped differently from the pattern portion 28, it being appreciated that one of these patterns is to be impressed within the cope and the other one within the drag of the flask so that when the cope and drag are subsequently registered, the proper mold void will be established thereby.

As is disclosed in my aforesaid prior patent, a quantity of molding sand is introduced into the flask member 22 after the flask and upset 24 have been registered and supported on the matchplate and, thereafter, a ramming mechanism enters through the upset 24 and compacts the moulding sand within the confines of the flask member 22. Of necessity, this ramming action exerts considerable downward force on the matchplate and may very well effect deformation or sagging of the matchplate assembly such that the pattern is displaced relative to the flask member and consequently degrades the integrity of the mold void formed when the cope and drag are subsequently joined. In the specific embodiment shown in FIG- URE 1, depending dowels or support pins 36 are fixedly carried by the matchplate 1t and are machined to be of such length as to engage the table or platform indicated generally by the reference character 32 secured to the bottom wall 34 of the pattern well 12 when the upstanding side wall 36 thereof is engaged at its upper and peripherally extending index surface by the downwardly facing index surface of the matchplate 10. In this way, the matchplate assembly is supported inwardly of the indexing surface provided by the side wall 36 of the pattern well so that during the ramming action, deformation or deflection of the matchplate assembly cannot occur. It will be understood that as many support dowels 39 as may be required are provided on the matchplate. Similarly, supporting dowels or pins 38 are provided on the opposite side of the matchplate for similarly supporting the matchplate against deflection or deformation when the matchplate is inverted from the position shown in FIGURE 1.

As is shown more clearly in FIGURE 2, the table or platform 32 preferably takes the form of a plurality of plates 40 arranged in stacked relationship so that more or less of these plates may be utilized to lend greater versatility to the assemblage. The lowermost plate may be fastened directly to the table 34 of the machine frame 14 and the next plate is secured preferably to the underlying plate and so forth until the proper height has been built up for the particular application encountered. FIG- URE 2 also shows a modified form or extension of the combination illustrated in FIGURE 1. As is well known, it is often necessary to provide an offset 42 in the matchplate 10 upon which the patterns 44 and 46 are supported. Such an arrangement is shown in FIGURE 2 and with such an arrangement it will be appreciated that different lengths of support pins 48 and 50 will be required in order to permit both to properly engage with the support table 32, see particularly FIGURE 3. FIGURE 3 also more clearly illustrates one method of securing the pins 48 and 50 to the matchplate 10, the system shown involving the use of a threaded stud 52 projecting through the matchplate and to which each of the pins 48 and 50 are threadedly engaged to forcibly sandwich the matchplate therebetween, substantially as is shown.

A further modification of the invention is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In these figures, the pattern well 12 will be seen to be provided, instead of the table 32, with vertically spaced preforated plates 51 and 53, "both of which are elevated above the bottom wall 34 of the pattern well. These plates 51 and 53, as can be best seen in FIGURE 5, are provided with vertically registered and aligned openings or perforations 54 through as many areas of the two plates 51 and 53 as may be desired. Preferably, these openings are established in a specific pattern throughout the entire area of the two plates, only a few of the perforations being shown in FIGURE 5. With this arrangement, any desired number and disposition of support pins or dowels 56 may be arranged within the pattern well assembly 12 so as to engage the downwardly facing index surface of the matchplate 10 when such matchplate is resting upon the upwardly facing indexing surface of the side wall 36 of the pattern well. Thus, the disposition of the pins 56 will depend upon the location of the patterns 58 and 60.

A further modification is illustrated in FIGURES 68. As shown in FIGURE 6, this modification embodies a cylinder block 62 which, as shown in FIGURE 7, may inlude a main body portion 64 and a cover plate 66. The main body portion 64 is provided with a plurality of cylinder bores 67 therein for the reception of support piston members. The support pistons are provided with reduced diameter portions 68 guided within corresponding openings in the cover plate 66 and with enlarged head portions provided with grooves 70 for the reception of 0 rings or seals 72. A galley or passage 74 communicates with the cylinders and is adapted to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure beneath each of the pistons simultaneously from a common source from which the conduit 76 leads. For the sake of simplicity, the matchplate 10 indicated in FIGURE 7 is shown without the patterns thereon and one problem to which this form of the invention is addressed is shown in greatly exaggerated form in FIGURE 7. This exaggeration concerns the undulations shown in the matchplate 10 in FIGURE 7. As will be appreciated, such undulations or irregularities might well be encountered in practice in greatly reduced degree so that a multitude of pins 56 as for example shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 might not uniformly simultaneously engage the downwardly facing indexing surface of the matchplate and lend the best supporting function thereto. This, of course, has to do with the design of the matchplate assembly itself. In many cases, however, accurate machining over the entire surfaces of the match plate may not be desirable and in this case the hydraulically actuated assembly shown in FIG- URES 68 is of particular interest. In this form of the invention, the hydraulic pressure to the cylinder assembly is released whenever the matchplate is raised and inverted and this hydraulic pressure is reapplied only after the matchplate has been established in indexed position as supported by the pattern well assembly 12 in the fashion previously described. At this point, the hydraulic pressure is applied and the various pistons will rise to the requisite heights lending the necessary support to thematchplate in anticipation of the compacting pressure on the molding sand to be subsequently applied.

In any case, each of the embodiments shown herein functions to provide additional support for the matchplate assembly in the critical regions thereof immediately adjacent to the patterns so that deformation or deflection of the matchplate which might otherwise occur during the compacting process is substantially eliminated. In this way, extreme rigidity and mass need not be built into the matchplate assembly so that, as a result, the matchplate can be of relatively light weight which permits the mechanism for raising and inverting the matchplate to function much more efliciently.

I claim:

1. In a mold making machine of the type having an invertible matchplate for forming mold recesses in both the cope and drag portions of a mold, in combination, a pattern well having a bottom wall, an open top and an upstanding peripheral side Wall presenting an upwardly facing peripheral indexing surface,

a mold box member having an open top and an open bottom and a peripheral closure wall disposed above said side wall of the pattern well, said closure wall having a downwardly facing peripheral indexing surface,

said matchplate being sandwiched between said indexing surfaces of the pattern well and mold box member and forming a bottom for said mold box member, said matchplate having outstanding patterns on either side thereof for disposition within the confines of said mold box member at predetermined levels with respect to said indexing surface of such mold box member, s

and means acting between said bottom wall of the pattern well and the downwardly facing surface of said matchplate for maintaining said patterns at the predetermined levels as aforesaid, said means engaging the downwardly facing sides of said matchplate only in regions outside the areas occupied by said outstanding patterns and inwardly of said peripheral indexing surfaces.

2. In the machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a plurality of pins fixed to said matchplate.

3. In the machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said having a downwardly facing peripheral indexing surface,

a matchplate sandwiched between said indexing surfaces of the pattern well and mold box member and forming a bottom for said mold mox member, said matchplate including at least one upstanding pattern for disposition within the confines of said mold box member at a predetermined level with respect to said indexing surface of such mold box member,

and means acting between said bottom Wall of the pattern well and the downwardly facing surface of said matchplate for maintaining said pattern at the predetermined level as aforesaid, said means comprising a cylinder block disposed within the pattern well having a plurality of piston members vertically extensible therefrom, and means for extending said piston members into engagement with said matcha plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,945 1/1894 Carr 164-237 670,295 3/1901 Reilley 164-237 1,097,749 5/1914 Burns 164-237 1,486,056 3/ 1924 Straub. 1,570,989 1/1926 Bossert 164-243 1,584,638 5/1926 Norris 164-235 3,302,255 2/1967 Wagner 164-238 30 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

E. MAR, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

